Tubular covering



March 5, 1963 c. TULLIS TUBULAR COVERING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22,1958 40 Lia. I

INVENTOR. LYELL CHESTER TULLIS March 5, 1963 L. c. TULLIS TUBULARCOVERING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1958 'VIIYNVENTOR. STEIQ TU LLIS B MW LYELL ATTV.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,79,579 ?atented Mar. 5, 1983 3,079,679TUBULAR CGVERHIG Lyell Chester Tuliis, Janesville, Wis, assignor to Theflfkf Fen Company, Janesville, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin FiledAug. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 756,632 6 Unitas. ((Il. 29-235) This inventionrelates to improvements in tubular covering, and in particular to anapparatus and method for covering a flare-ended rigid tube with anelastic tubular covering material such as polyvinyl chloride tubing, ortubing of other synthetic thermoplastics, or other tubular elasticmaterials.

The invention provides a simple, quick and eifective method of, andmeans for, placing a covering of elastic tubing completely over andextending beyond the ends of a length of rigid tubing which has oneflared end. The elastic tubing has an internal diameter greater than theoutside diameter of the rigid tube, except for the flared end portion ofthe rigid tube which has an outside diameter greater than the insidediameter of the elastic tube.

The invention provides means whereby the elastic tubing may be fed fromone continuous length or coil of the elastic Lubng on to a consecutivelypositioned series of flared rigid tubes, the elastic tubing, afterhaving been placed over each flared rigid tube, being cut off to thedesired length.

The invention further provides means for covering a rigid tubularflare-ended piece with elastic tubing wherein said piece need besupported solely from one end thereof.

Other objects and advantages will become aparent upon considering thefollowing description in conjunction with the appended drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another part of the device shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of still another part of the device shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational View, on an enlarged scale, of a portion ofthe device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the part of the device shown in FIG. 4,showing the elastic tubing extending therethrough; and

FIG. 7 is a view, partially in section, taken along lines 7--7 in FIG.1.

Referring to the drawings, the invention provides means for covering aflare-ended rigid tube A, having a flared end A, with a plastic tubularcovering B, the covering B extending beyond each end of the piece A andterminating in a slanted end B forming an elliptical opening beyond theflared end of tube A, and terminating in a true end B forming a circularopening beyond the other end of tube A.

The covered item AB is useful as an electrical connector where-'n thepiece A is a conductive copper tube, the tubing B is polyvinyl chlorideinsulation, and the true or circular end B of the tubing is pinchedclosed, as for example, by a heat seal. the slanted end B of the tubingB and the flared end A of the copper tube permit easy entrance of theends of two electrical conductors to be connected together, as forexample, by crimping the device AB on to the conductors at a point orpoints between A and B".

a The means for and method of covering piece A with tubing B isexplained by reference to the drawings, wherein an arbor head 29 has anarbor 31 for receiving first the piece A thereon and then the tubing Bthereover.

The piece A fits over the reduced portion 31a of the arbor with theflared part A seating against the shoulder joining the large portion ofthe arbor with the reduced portfon 31a. A bore 31b extending through thearbor provides an air path therethrough and is connected to a source 34of air, via channels 32b in block 32 of arbor head 29. An air valve 33having a control button 33a provides means for turning the air on andoil to controllably apply the air into the tubing B.

The arbor head 29 is slidably disposed in a guide member 39, which maybe a continuous, closed-loop guideway if desired. An alignment pin 35,together with alignment holes 353m, provide means for positioning thearbor head 29 in the guideway 34) to align the arbor with the tubing forthe covering operation. An arbor clamp 36, pivoted at 360, is providedfor clamping the tubing B to the arbor during the operation as explainedmore fully hereinafter. A spring 37 urges the clamp 36 into clampingposition and a button 361) is provided for releasing the clamp 36 fromclamping position.

A frame 1%, including a bottom or base 11, a pair of upright side walls32 and a rear piece 13, provides a slideway for a movable operating head14, in that the main body 15 of movable head 14 has a pair of ribs 15bwhich slidably ride in channels 1% of frame It). A slot 12c in the base11 of the frame permits the cut-out pieces 3" of tubing B to droptherethrough as more fully explained hereinbelow. Recesses 12a provide atransverse pasage for the arbor 31 when the arbor head 29 is moved alongguideway 30 transversely of the movement of head 14. A bore 13b in rearpiece 13 receives therethrough a push-pull actuating rod 27 for movingthe movable head 14. A slot 13a is proivded in rear piece 13, andmounted therein is ar ear clamp 44), pivoted on a pin dila. A spring 41urges the clamp 40 into engagement with the tubing B to clamp the tubingto the frame 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. A push button 4% on the clampprovides means for releasing the clamp 40 to thereby free the tubing Bfrom the frame.

The movable head 14 has mounted thereon die blocks 16, 17, 18, 19disposed to form a triangular die passageway for a triangular shapedcutter 22 which is slidably mounted in head 14. A bore 15a in body 15 ofthe head 14 permits the cutter to pass up and down therethrough. Acutter rod 23 fixed to cutter 22 slides in a guide hearing 21 mounted onhead 14, as by fasteners 21b through a flange 21a of the guide bearing21. A cam stirrup 25 is pivoted to cutter rod 23, as at pivot 26, at apoint laterally displaced from its vertical center to thereby providecamming means for slidably positioning the cutter in e'ther of twopositions: i.e. either its upper or free of tube B position (FIG. 4); orits lower pinching tube B position (FIG. 1); by simply flipping thestirrup from one position to the other. A striker head 24 on the cutterrod is provided to permit, by a hammering actuation of the cutter Whilein its lower or pinching tube B position, cutting off the tube B therebyremoving a cut-out piece 13" from the tubing B.

The lower die blocks 17, 19 are fixed to upper die blocks 16, 18, as forexample, by screws 17a, 19a. Bores 16a, 18a, extending through blocks16, 18, receive tubing B therethrough.

Block 17 has a shearing surface 17b disposed perpendicularly to thelongitudinal axis of tubing B. Block 19 has a shearing surface 191;disposed transversely but not perpendicularly of said axis and formingtogether with surface 171') and a cover plate 2%, a triangular diepassageway into which fits the triangular cutter 22. The cover plate 2%,covering the blocks 16, l7, l8, 19, may be mounted thereover, as atholes 16d, 17d, 18d, 19a, by

- any suitable fastening means.

Block 16 has a guide surface 16b lying in the same 3 plane asshearing'surface 17b of block 17. Block 18 has a' guide surface 18blying in the same plane as shearing surface 19b of block 19.

The cut-ter 22 is guidedby surfaces 16b, 18%;, as well as by cover plate21 and the cutting is done by the cutter-22 and shearingsurfaces 17b,19:), upon actuation of the 'cutter for this purpose, thereby removing acut out piece B' from the tubing B. 7

surfaces 160 and 18c are parallel to the'surfaces 16b and 18brespectively, being recessed therefrom topermit bending of the tubing Bto facilitate pinching the tube by the cutter 22 without cutting it, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

The movable head 14 may be moved, in the frame 10, either manually viahandle 28 on rod 27, or autoniatically by any suitable means. Themovement of head 14 is forward and rearward (left and right in FIGS.I-an'd'S) to effeotthe feeding oftubing B into the head (rearwardmovement) and to pull the tubing B on to the piece A and the arbor(forward movement).

'Ihe'tubing B may be fed from a roll or coil of said tubing. From thistype of source or from any other suitable source, the tubing enters theframe 10 through slot 130, passes between side walls 12, 12 of theframe, enters the head14 through-bore 18a, passes through the spacebetween thedie blocks, and on into and through bore 16a to projectforwardly of the head 14, in alignment with and ready to be'loaded on apiece A disposed on arbor 31. p

Clamp 40 provides means for clamping tubing B to frame 10 to secure thetubing to the frame while head 14'is' moved rearwardly (to the right inFIGS. 1 and *to thereby feed tubing into the head 14; the cutter 22being held in its upper position (as shown in FIG. 4) by cam stirrup 25during this movement.

The cutter 22, when lowered (as shown in FIGS. 1 and-5-),-by flippingstirrupZS, pinches the tubing B and thusclampingly secures it to thehead '14 while moving the head forwardly (to the left in FIGS. 1 and 5)to thereby pull the tubing, from its coil, roll or other source, on--to'the piece A to cover the same. The clamp 40 is positioned torelease the tubing B from the frame during this movement.

Because the tubing B is larger, in internal diameter, than the externaldiameter of the main portion of piece A, the tubing B slides easilythereover. As the forward end B of the tubing engages the flare portionA of piece A, air is supplied througharbor 31 into tubing -B. Theelastic tubing, being pinched oil by cutter 22, thuse'xpa'nds and slidesover the flare A permitting the tubing to be moved beyond the flared endto the desired distance. The clamp 36 is. positioned free of arbor 3 1during the forward movement of the tubing to permit the 'tubing B totelescope over the arbor.

Arbor 31 supports the piece A only from one end. This'per'mitsconvenient alignment of and approach to the other end because it is afree, unsupported end. Because the end is free and unsupported, the"pinching off of the tubing B can be very near'the unsupported endthereby maintaininga minimum of volume of tubing B to be filled withair, which permits the air expansion of the tubing to be very quick.

Ihe cutter 22 performs multiple functions: (1) it clamps the tubing topull the tubing forward; (2.) it pinches the tubing closed to form anair seal for allowing expansion of the tubing; and (3) it also cuts thetubing '05.

Assuming that the plastic tubing -B has just been cut off by thetriangular cutter 22 after a flared piece A hasbeen covered with theplastic tubing, the operation for "completing another covering andcut-off cycle is follows':

- First, one raises cutter 22 up out of the dies 16, 17,

'18, 1-9 and moves head 14- back over the plastic tube B to therebyextend the plastic tube 13 through bores during this operation. Whentubing B engages flare A, air is applied, via channels 32b and bore 31b,into the tubing B thereby expanding the tubing, allowing it to move overthe flare A and on to'the arbor. The air is then turned off (using valve33) and the tubing B is then clamped to the arbor with arbor clamp 36.

Next, thetubing B is again secured to the frame 10 with clamp 40. Thecutter 22 is then actuated to remove piece B from the tubingB. Thiscompletes the cycle.

The above cycle is repeated for each new piece A that is to be covered.The operation of the cycle can, of course, be made automatic, with eachstep occurring in response to the prior step; the device is illustratedand described herein as manual merelyto more clearly disclose the meansand method of the invention.

Various embodiments of the invention, not herein disclosed, may bemadewithout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for placing a resilient tubular cover on an article from asource length of cover material, comprising means for supporting saidarticle, means for supporting an end portion of a length oftnbularcovei' material, means movable along the supported end portion ofthe tubular cover material toward said article and including meansthereon selectively engageable with said tubular cover, said engageablemeans thereon including a knife edged member pressed against said coverby a force .sufiicient to secure said cover to said movable means and topinch said cover sealingly closed but insufiicient to cut said cover,means for moving said movable means toward said article support means toremove a portion of said cover from said source and to move the endportion of said cover partly over said article with the end of saidcover sealingly engaging said article, means for increasing the pressurein the portion of said cover between the pinched portion thereof andsaid end to expand said cover'in the vicinity of said article, means forfurther moving said movable means toward said article support'means topush said expanded portion of said cover over said article, and meansfor increasing the force on said knife edge to sever the portion of saidcover on said articlefrom said source.

2. A device for covering a generally cylindrical object with elastictubing, said device comprising: a frame; a head mounted for movement onsaid frame, saidheadincluding means defining a longitudinal passagewayfor receiving said tubing therethrough; support means adjacent a firstend of said head for supporting'said object in coaxial alignment withsaidhead passageway and the tubing received thereby; clamping means on'said frame adjacent a second end of said head to releasably clamp saidtubing to said frame; pinching means on said head to releasably securesaid tubing to said head; means'for selectively operating said clampingand pinching means; means for moving said head on said frame toward saidclamping means while said tubing is clamped to said frame and while saidpinching means is released, to move said passageway relative to saidtubing; and means 'for moving said head toward said support means andaway from said clamping means while said tubing is secured to said headby said pinching means and whilersaid clamping means is released, tomove the end of said tubing'into covering relation with said object.

'3. The invention definedin claim 2 wherein said pinch ing meanscomprises: a die on said head adjacent said head passagewa a movablecutter; and means supporting said cutter for movement across saidpassageway from an initial position in spaced relation to said die,through an intermediate position proximate to said die in which tubingin said passageway is pinched between said cutter and said die to securesaid tubing to said head, and to a final position in cutting associationwith said die to sever said tubing.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said cutter and die definecooperating first cutting surfaces transversely of the longitudinal axisof said tubing and cooperating second cutting surfaces disposed at anoblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said tubing, said surfaces,upon movement of said cutter to said final position, cooperating torespectively sever the portion of the tubing that is in coveringrelation with said object transversely of the longitudinal axis of saidtubing and simultaneously to sever a second portion of said tubing at anoblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said tubing.

5. A device for covering a generally cylindrical relatively rigidtubular object having a small end and a large end with elastic tubinghaving an inside diameter larger than the diameter of said small end andsmaller than the diameter of said large end, said device comprising: aframe; a head mounted for movement on said frame, said head includingmeans defining a longitudinal passageway for receiving said tubingtherethrough; support means including a tubular arbor adjacent a firstend of said head to support thereon said tubular object in coaxialalignment with said passageway and the tubing received thereby, and withthe small end of said object nearest said head; clamping means on saidframe adjacent a second end of said head to releasably clamp said tubingto said frame; a die member on said head adjacent said passageway; acutter mounted on said head, said cutter being movable across saidpassageway from a first position out of engagement with tubing in saidpassageway into a second position in which said tubing is pinched olftransversely between said cutter and said die to secure said tubingwithin said passageway and to temporarily seal a portion of the tubing,and being further movable from said second position to a third positionto sever said tubing; means for selectively operating said clampingmeans and said cutter; means for moving said head on said frame towardsaid clamping means while said tubing is clamped to said frame and whilesaid cutter is in said first position to move said passageway relativeto said tubing; means for moving said head along the axis of saidpassageway toward said support means and away from said clamping meanswhile said cutter is in said second position and while said clampingmeans is released, to slide the end of said tubing adjacent said objectonto said object; a source of compressed gas; and means for introducingsaid compressed gas into said tubing through said tubular arbor as saidtubing is slid onto said object to expand said tubing and allow the endthereof to slide freely over the large end of said object.

6. in an apparatus for covering a cylindrical article with a section ofmaterial from a source of elongate expandable imperforate tubing havingan internal diameter less than the external diameter of an enlargedportion of said article, the combination comprising: means for insertingsaid article partly Within an open end of said tubing to abut said openend against said enlarged portion to seal old? said open end; a diemember adjacent said tubing and intermediate the cylindrical article andthe tubing source; a cutter member movable transversely of said tubingtoward said die member; means for moving said cutter member when saidtubing is between said cutter member and said die member to a positionin which said cutter member pinches said tubing against said die memberto completely seal olf the tubing at a point spaced from said sealed offopen end without cutting said tubing to define a sealed chamber in saidtubing; means for increasing the internal pressure Within said chamberin said tubing to greater than atmospheric pressure to expand the tubingbetween said sealed point and said open end; means for moving at leastpart of the expanded portion of said tubing over said enlarged portionof said article; and means for moving said cutter beyond said pinchingposition and into cutting engagement with said die to sever said tubing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS284,050 Nichols Aug. 28, 1883 942,184 Persons Dec. 7, 1909 1,037,159Lorenz Aug. 27, 1912 2,366,359 Searle Jan. 2, 1945 2,498,357 BreischFeb. 21, 1950 2,707,024 Neubronner Apr. 26, 1955 2,774,993 Hagen Dec.25, 1956 2,794,758 Harper June 4, 1957 2,803,056 Brissey et a1. Aug. 20,1957 2,824,362 Meyers Feb. 25, 1958 2,840,893 Peppercorn et a1. July 1,1958

1. APPARATUS FOR PLACING A RESILIENT TUBULAR COVER ON AN ARTICLE FROM ASOURCE LENGTH OF COVER MATERIAL, COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAIDARTICLE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN END PORTION OF A LENGTH OF TUBULARCOVER MATERIAL, MEANS MOVABLE ALONG THE SUPPORTED END PORTION OF THETUBULAR COVER MATERIAL TOWARD SAID ARTICLE AND INCLUDING MEANS THEREONSELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID TUBULAR COVER, SAID ENGAGEABLE MEANSTHEREON INCLUDING A KNIFE EDGED MEMBER PRESSED AGAINST SAID COVER BY AFORCE SUFFICIENT TO SECURE SAID COVER TO SAID MOVABLE MEANS AND TO PINCHSAID COVER SEALINGLY CLOSED BUT INSUFFICIENT TO CUT SAID COVER, MEANSFOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE MEANS TOWARD SAID ARTICLE SUPPORT MEANS TOREMOVE A PORTION OF SAID COVER FROM SAID SOURCE AND TO MOVE THE ENDPORTION OF SAID COVER PARTLY OVER SAID ARTICLE WITH THE END OF SAIDCOVER SEALINGLY ENGAGING SAID ARTICLE, MEANS FOR INCREASING THE PRESSUREIN THE PORTION OF SAID COVER BETWEEN THE PINCHED PORTION THEREOF ANDSAID END TO EXPAND SAID COVER IN THE VICINITY OF SAID ARTICLE, MEANS FORFURTHER MOVING SAID MOVABLE MEANS TOWARD SAID ARTICLE SUPPORT MEANS TOPUSH SAID EXPANDED PORTION OF SAID COVER OVER SAID ARTICLE, AND MEANSFOR INCREASING THE FORCE ON SAID KNIFE EDGE TO SEVER THE PORTION OF SAIDCOVER ON SAID ARTICLE FROM SAID SOURCE.